Method and apparatus for treating rubber



E. A. WULLENWEBER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FORTREATING RUBBER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-5.1917;

E. A. WULLENWEBER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FORTREATING RUBBER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5', 1 917.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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it? llfiBLE ERNEST A. WULLENWEBER. OF DETROIT, MICHTGAN, ASSIGNOE T MORGAN &

COPY

WRIGHT. A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

mamas.

Specification of Letters Patent. A

Application filed October 5, 1917. Serial No. 194.833.

1'}, all tl'iM/Ht it 7/11,) on cm Be it known that I, ERNEST A. \VULLEX- wanna, a citizen of the l'nitcd States, residing in Detroit, county of \Vayne, and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods rubber being treated.

rubber, as well as It is well known in thisart, that raw rubber composition, whether the same has been previously dried or not, are benefited as to quality, by being subjected to humid air maintained at a temperature materially below the vulcanizing temperature. It has been found difficult however to secure uniformity in the quality .ofthe rubber thus treated, by reason of a.

constant variance or fluctuation both in the temperature of the humid air and in the degree of saturation thereof.

By my present invention, I am enabled not only to maintain the humid gas in a roomor chamber containing the rubber to be treated,.at a substantially uniform temperature at all times, but to secure and main- .tain a substantially constant degree of saturation ofthis gas. Furthermore the manner of conditioning the gas is such as to prevent the development of a tem erature 1n the room or chamber containing the rubber, in

excess of a predetermined temperature, that portion of the gas. the temperature of which drops materially below said predetermined temperature and which becomes supersaturated or fouled, being withdrawn from said room or chamber and replaced by fresh gas of the desired temperature and humidity. 'Under normal conditions I constantly circulate a portion of the humid gas in a closed circuit including said room or chamber so a long as the gas in the room is at the requlred.

temperature and degree of saturation, this circuit being interrupted during the withdrawal of the gas having a'lower-tem-perature and higher degree ofsaturation and its. replacementv by. a fresh supply of gas at the required temperature and saturation. in this manner, the gas in the room stratiries by convection, the more rarefied and less humid air being withdrawn from adjacent the top of the room, and the cooler supersaturated or fouled gas being withdrawn from thelower part of the room.

- In an apparatus used in the practice of my methorhl not only provide means for supplying vapor in the desired predetermined quantity to the gas, and means for heating the saturated gas and circulating it within the room or chamber, but means controlled by appliances sensitive to changes of temperature and of humidity arranged in the room or chamber itself, whereby the circulation of the humid gas, the withdrawal of the supersaturated or foul gas, and the admission of fresh gas to replace same, are automatically controlled by conditions within said room or chamber and about the rubber being treated.

The circulation and purging means are so constructed and arranged as to insure a substantially uniform' distribution of the .hu midified gas throughout the room or chamber, and the withdrawal of the foul or supersaturated gas from different portions of the room or chamber in a manner to insure substantially uniform conditions throughout said room or chamber. Furthermore the thermostat within the room or chamber is so connected with the means for humiditying the gas when conditioning it for delivery to the room or chamber to control the temperature of said gas and prevent the development of atemperature in excess of that required to properly treat the rubber.

The invention consists in a method and in an apparatus for the practice of said method containing the novel features of con struction and combinationof' parts, all as hereinafter set forth and described and more particularlypointed out in the claims here to appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view showing diagrammatically an apparatus used in the practice of my method;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and 7 Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the-line 3--3 of Fig. 1. .Likereference'numerals refer to like parts throughout the'several views.

thepractice of the invention, rubber or like material to be treated is arranged on poles'or in trays within a closed room or chamber, into which is discharged fresh air, carbon dioxid, nitrogen or other suitable gases at the desired temperature and more or less hunfid. The. air or gas is drawn through a suitable heater and forced into the chamber, where it stratifies in a manner to gradually'cause that portion of the gas which becomes cool and supersaturated, to descend in the room and that portion of the gas which becomes less saturated and is of a higher temperature, to ascend. This stratification, however, varies with the rateof flow or movement of the gas, and when the rate of movement is relatively rapid, it is inconsiderable if not negligible. The rubber or other material is preferably supported at a point intermediate the ceiling and floor of the room so as to be sur rounded by humidified gas having the proper temperature and degree of satin-a tion.

By having the gas flow into the room through a plurality of openings spaced apart vertically or horizontally the inflow ing gas is properly.distributed throughout the room thus insuring substantial uniformity in the temperature andhumidity of the gases throughout the entire room except as to the I stratification above referred to.-

When the temperature'aml humidity of the gas within the room, are suitable for conditioning the rubber, I draw a portion of the gas from the upper part of the room, inject steam thereinto, reheat them and return them to the room, thus maintaining a closed circuit of circulating gas in a manner to maintain the intermediate strata thereof in the room at the proper temperature and humidity." There will, however, be a gradual accumu-' lation hf supersaturated gas in the lower part of the room, which gas from time to time is withdrawn, the closed circuit above referred to being interrupted while said gas is being withdrawn, and a fresh supply of heated gas is being delivered into the room to replace the gas thus withdrawn.

An essentialcharacteristic of the method of my-invention resides in injecting steam" into the gas while being circulated and thereafter passing the gas and through a heater to secure a more perfect saturation of said gas and bring it to the desired temperature. In delivering the humidified gas to said room or chamber, and in maintaining the closed circulation of such gas to and from said chamber, I preferably use a force-feed such as a blower, which will draw the gas and steam through the heater and force it into said room or chamber.

I also wry the temperature of the gas being delivered to said room orchamber steam in accord with the temperature .conditions within.the room or chamber, in order to avoid likelihood of the development of excessively high or excessively low temperatures in said room or chamber. This va riance in the temperature of the'infiowing gas is entirely independent of the conditions governing the withdrawal ,of the gas from the lower portion of said room or chamber which withdrawal is determined by the degree of humidity of the gas withinsaid 7 fore being delivered to said room or chamher, to maintain a substantially uniform temperature and degree of humidity throughout the entire chamber in a manner to insure substantial uniformity in thequal-- ity of the rubber or other material treated. Furthermore by reason of my ability to control the temperature and the degree of humidity of the-gas within the room. succeeding lots of rubber or other material may be treated under substantially uniform con- 'ditions.

The degree of saturation ofthe gas may range from 20 to 80, it apparently being merely necessary that the moisture in the gas be suiiiciently high to form and maintain a film upon the surface of the rubber being treated and thus prevent the oxidation of this surface or its hardening in a manner to interfere with the displacement of the moisture-content and the proper heating of the entire mass of the rubber. The temperature at which the gas is maintained may also vary according to the condition of the stock being treated, and the manner of supporting same. A more rapid elimination of the moisture-content in the stock may be efl'ected' by the use of higher temperatures and forthis reason it is desirable to support poles.

the stock upon trays rather than upon I have found in actual practice however,

that the stock may be properly conditioned upon poles with a temperature ranging from to 115 and that a temperature of as high as 150 may be effectively used when the stock is held upon trays. The only factor in conditioning the stock by this variance in temperature, seems to reside in the time element, as the finished product apparently possesses the same characteristics irrespec-- tive of the temperature.

v Saturatedair may be advantageously used and 1f the proper degree of ,humidity be .iso

maintained there seems to be little or no tendency toward the oxidation of the surface of the stock. It is apparenthowever, that likelihood of sucll oxidation maybe entirely eliminated by the use of an inert gas such as carbon dioxid or nitrogen.

Hhile I have referred above to a varying of the amount of steam injected into the gas being delivered into the room or chamher to accord with the humidity within said .room or chamber and the varying of the temperature of this saturated gas to accord with the temperature within the room or chamber it is apparent that the temperature and the humidity of the room are related as to make these variances more or less interdependent.

soften the rubber and cause it to drop from the pole. W hen using a higher temperature the rubber or other material may be treated in a shorter time" than with a lower temperature, the duration of the treatment'however, apparently having no' material effect purge, or foul gasduct to result in a flow of the fouled 1 saturated gas by a natural draft from tcan Arranged in the room or chamber 16 is' a having plurality of downwardly extending branches 25 opening into the said room or chamber on diflerent levels. The duct 24: opens outwardly or" the room or chamber 10 in a manner to cause the pressure within said room or superroom or chamber, although other ror causing this How of the said may be utilized if desired.

Discharging into the inlet or the ater 22 is a steam nozzle 26 for injecting s i into the as. as it'passes to said heater. ix

re latin the volume of the steam the deree of saturation of the as mav be readilv b or upon the quality of the product. A duct 11,

provided v'vith a plurality of branches 12 each having openings 13 and 1a discharging respectively into the'upper and lower portions of the room and openings 15 inter mediate the openings 13 and 14, is used to deliver humidified gas to said room or chamber in a manner to cause the gas to be substantially equally distributed through all parts of the room or chamber 10. The number of openings 13, 14': and 15, the capacity thereof and of the duct 11 and the arrangement of this duct with relation to said room or chamber may vary indefinitely to accord with the conditions and the capacity of the room or chamber.

I also arrange adjacent/the top or ceilingof the room or chamber 10, an off-take duct 16 having a plurality of branches 17 each having an openin 18, 19 and 20 respectively arranged similarly to.the openings 13, 14: and 15, so as to providecommunication between said duct 16 and all parts of the room of chamber 10. The duct 11 communicates with the discharge port of ablower 21 of any desired construction, the

intake of said blower being in commnnication, through a heater with the discharge end of the duct 16. Leading from said duct 16 and communicatingwith the atmosphere or any othendesired sourceof gas supplyis a branch duct 23.

controlled and by having the regulating means positioned within the room or charm her the degree of saturation will be determined by conditions about the rubber treated.

Each of the ducts 16 and 24-, and the branch duct '23 is provided wi h a'suitable valve mechanism for controlling the flow of gas therethrougln mechanism comp" ing butterfly valves 27 and 28 adjacent the outlets of the ducts 15 and Qrespectively, and a'si milar valve 29 adjacent the inlet of the branch duct 23. l lach of the i 28 and 29 is vadapted tobe automaticaily and synchronously actuated in any desired manner, the valve 27 being opened when the valves 28 and 29 are closed and vice versa.

The steam nozzle 26 supplied from a pipe 30 having in its length a regulatin valve 31 adapted to be opened and closed through the same agency as the valve 2!).

lhe actuation of the valves 27, 28, 29 and 31 is controlled by a suitable hygrometer positioned about midway of the heightot the room or chamber 10. In the form of the invention shown, I use a compressor 33 adapted to deliver air under compression to the tank 34. Leading from said tank is an air line 35 communicating with a distrilmter 36 adjacent the hygrometcr 32 and communicating with a pipe line, one branch 37 of which is connected with a suitable diaphragm regulator 38 operatively connected with the valve 28, and other ln'anches 39, 40 and 41 of which are in connection with similar regulators 42, i3, and M operatively connected respectively with the valves 31 27 and 29. a three way valve 45 operatively connected with said hygrometcr, said valve being adapted to permit compressed air to flow to the several diaphragm regulators and .to relieve the pressure therein according to the conditions determined by thehygroin eter.

Adjacent the distributor 36 is a thermostat 46 controlling a three way valve 47 in a pipe line 48 leading from the distributor Adjacent the distributor 36 is r porting the rubber and at 51 cars contain ing reticulated trays for the same purpose. The manner of supporting the rubber how ever, is immaterial to my present invention the purpose of which is to maintain a substantially uniform temperature and humidity of the gas, and control'the humidity 01.

the gas delivered to said'room or chamber.

The operation of the herein described apparatus is substantially as follows:

Green or rewashed rubberstock having been positioned in the room or chamber 10 thereby raising the humidity to the neighborhood of 80%, the, hygrometer 32 functions to cause valves 28 and 29 to open and.

valve 27 to close. Operation of the blower 21 then draws gas through the duct 23 and heater 22 and then forces it through the duct 11 into the chamber. The temperature in the room 10, when the operation is started, is sufiiciently low to cause .the thermostat 46 to admit air to the pipe line 48 which operis the valve 49 and brings the heater ,22 to its maximum temperature. Air isadmitted from the duct 11 into a room 10 through a series ofopenings 13, 14 and 15 into all parts thereof. Because of the high initial humidity of theatmosphere within the chamber 10, the freshly supplied airbecomes humidified almost at'once to a degree above that to which the hygrometer is preferably set for rapid dryingwhich has been satisfactorily practised at 30%consequently it is forced or vented from the room or chamber 10 through the duct 24 and re lief damper 28 which is at this time open. Fresh air is continually supplied and exhausted from the chamber in this manner until the atmosphere therewithin reaches a humidity below that to which the hygrometer is set when the hairs of the hygrometer contract and admit air under slight pressure to the piping 37-39 and thereby close the valves 28 and 29 and simultaneously open the valve 27 in the return duct '16. This induces a closed system of operation in which a segregated volume of air is endlessly circulated through the room 10, heater.

22 and ducts 16 and 11 which form the closedsystem. At the beginning of this closed system of operation, the humidity is slightly below the critical degree of humidityas before mentioned, preferably in the neighborhood of 3O%. and' the temperature is likewise below what we may term the critical temperature at which the thermostat functions. The heater 22 is conse quently at its maximum ..heating capacity of operation, the valve 27 being closed and the valves 29 and 28 being opened, steam being cut olf from the injector 26 at the same time. The room or chamber 10 is consequently purged of the overly humid gas which is displaced by aquantity of fresh gas drawn through the heater 22 and forced into the chamber by the blower 21.

The cycle of operation above referred to 'is repeated as determined by constantly varying conditions within the room or chamber 10. The range in'the degree of temperature and of humidity of the gas usable in treating the rubber permits the effective utilization of an apparatus as herein described, and while with such an apparatus, the temperature and humidity will be subject to constant fluctuation these fluctuations will always approximate the maximum working degree of both temperature and humidity to which the thermostat and hygrometer-are adjusted, within the before mentioned limits:

By the practice of themethod and the use of the apparatus of myinvention, I am enabled to charge a room or chamber containing rubber to be treated with gas at the proper temperature; to repeatedly circulate gas so segregated through the room or chamber, with an incidental renewal of heat units and moisture therein, and to in termittently withdraw cool and foul or su-- persaturated' gas and to replace it with a fresh supply of heated gas, all as determined 110 by temperature and humidity conditions within the room' or chamber. i

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the temperature, degree of humidity or the gas employed in the method or art, 115 nor to the details of construction of the apparatus shown in the drawings, it being a'pparent that all such details may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 1

While I have referred herein to saturated air this term is used to indicate the degree of saturation herein referred to as being suitable for the purposes of the iriven: tion.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to have protected. by Letters Patent is 1. That process of drying rubber which consists in maintaining its surface moistlBO subjection of the rubber While subjecting it to the action of segrereplaced by 'freshly conditioned volumes of gas until the rubber reaches a substantially uniform and nearly dry condition.

2. The herein described method of treating rubber consisting in charging a room or chamber containing the rubber to be treated with gas, at a suitable temperature and tie gree of saturation, repeatedly circulating the with which the room or chamber is charged through said room or chamber, reheating and humidifying the gas while it is being so circulated, and intermittently interrupting the circulation of said gas by withdrawing the cooled and supersaturated or fouled gas from the room or chamber and replacing it with fresh conditioned gas.

3. A process of treating rubber which consists in abstracting moisture therefrom by a segregated volume of circulating heated and humidified gas until the moisture content thereof approximates a predetermined limit, removing and replacing the gas thus fouled by a fresh volume of heated gas having a lower humidity than that of the discharged foul gas.

i. A process of. drying rubber including to a segregated volume of circulatinggas at approximately a'predetermined temperature and humidity and until the humidity increases to a predetermined extent, removing the thus fouled gas and replacing it with a fresh supply of gas having a lower degree of saturation than the foul removed.

5. A process of drying rubber which consists in charging a container for the rubber with a volume of humidified and heated gas, circulating the gasby Withdrawing and reintroducing it into the chamber until its humidity reaches a predetermined limit, displacing the gas thus fouled by the fresh volume of heated gas having a lower humidity, and circulating thc'freshly introduced gas as before, and repeating the above steps until the rubber is sutliciently dry.

6. Apparatus for treating rubber comprising a chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a humidifying device and a source of gas supply communicating there with, a conduit leading from the humiditying device to said chamber, a duct adapted to return the treated gas from the chamber to said humidifying device, and means automatically controlled by the degree of saturation of said gas in the chamber for regulating the flow of from the source of supply and the action of the humidifying device.

7. Apparatus for treating rubber comprising a 'room adapted tocontain rubber to be treated. a humidifying device communicating with a source of gas supply. a

conduit leading from said humidifying device to the chamber, a valve intermediate the chamlier and the atmosphere, a duct adapted to return the treated gas from said chamber to the humidifying device, and means automatically controlled by a condition of the gas in said chamber for shutting oii' said duct from the humidifying device and opening the said valve.

S. In an apparatus for treating rubber, a chamber adapted-to contain rubber to be treated, a humidifying device, a gas supply, a valve between the humidifying device and gas supply. a conduit leading from the humidit'ying device to the chamber, a duct for returning treated gas from'the chamber to the humidit'ying device, and means controlled by a condition of the gas in said chamber for shutting ofi' said duct from the humidit'ying device and opening the said valve.

S). An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein a room or chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a heater, a conduit communicating with a source of gas supply and said heater. means injecting steam into the gas while'it is passing to said heater. means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heater to said room or chamber. an'oif-take duct communicating with said room or chamber, and said. heater, a purge duct opening within and discharging without said room or chamber, and valves in said first named conduit, said off-take ductand said purge duct whereby aclosed circulation of gasmay be maintained, and a fresh supply of gas may be delivered ,to' said room or chamber and a portion of the gas in said room maybe simultaneously discharged through. said purge conduit.

10. An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein a room or chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a heater, a

'conduit communicating with a source of gas supply and said heater, means injecting steam into the gas while it is passing to said heater, means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heater to said room or chamber, an off-take duct having a plurality of intake openings arranged about said room or chamber, and communicating with said room or chamber and said, heater, apurge duct opening within and discharging Without said room or chamber, and valves in said first namedconduit, said oil-take duct and said purge duct whereby a closed circulation of gas may be maintained, and a fresh 7 supply of gas may be delivered to said room,"

or chamber and a portion of the 'gas in said room may be simultaneously discharged through said purge conduit.

11. An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein a room or chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a heater, a

room or chamber, and valves in said first named conduit, said ofi-take d uct and said purge duct whereby a closed circulation of gas may be maintained, and a fresh supply of gas may be delivered to said room or chamber and a portion of the gas in said room may be simultaneously discharged through said purge conduit;

12. An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein a room or chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a heater, a conduit communicating with a source of gas supply and said heater, means injecting steam lnto the gaswlnle it is passing to said heater, means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heaterto said room or chamber, an off-take duct communicating with said room or chamber and said heater, a purge duct having a plurality of branches opening into the room or chamber on different levels, said duct discharging without said room or chamber and valves-in first. named conduit, said off-take duct and said purge ductwhereby a closed circulation of gas may be maintained, and a fresh supply of gas may be delivered to sa'idroom or chamber and a portion of the gas in said room may be simultaneously discharged through said'purge conduit.

13. An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein aroom or chamber adapted to contain rubberto be treated, a heater, a conduit communicating with a source of supply and said heater, means injecting steam-unto the gas while it is passing to said heater, means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heater to said room or chamber, an oil-take duct communicat ing Witlrfsaid room or chamber and said,

heater, a 'purge duct opening within and discharging withoutv said room or chamber, valves n said first'named conduit, said offtake duct and saidpurge duct, an hygrometer withlnsaid room or chamber, means whereclosin of said valve in said off-take duct ,60 a closed circulation of gas may be by the valve in. said off-take duct may beopened orclosed and the valves in said con-.

dpitand said purge duct may be closed or opened, simultaneously with the opening or where maintained, and a fresh supply of gas may be delivered to, said room or chamber and portion of the gas in said room maybe si multan'eouslv discharged through said purge conduit, and controlling means adapted to be actuated by said hygrometer whereby said valves will be automatically actuated.

14. An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein aroom or chamber adapted tocontain rubberto be treated, a heater, a conduit communicating with a source of gas supply and saidheater, means injecting steam into the gas while it is passing to said heater, a valve mechanism whereby the volume of steam may be controlled, means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heater to said room or chamber, an off-take duct communicating with said room or chamber and said heater, apurge duct opening within and discharging without said room or chamber, valves in said first named conduit, said oif-take duct and said purge duct, an hygrometer within said room or chamber, means whereby the valve in said off-take duct may be opened or closed and the valves in said conduit, said purge duct and said valve mechanism controlling the volume of steam may be closed or opened simultaneously with the opening or closing of said valve in said off-take duct whereby a closed circulation of gas may be main-' tained, and a fresh supply of gas, may be deliyered' to said room or chamber and a portion of the gas in said room may be simultaneously discharged through said purge conduit, and controlling means adapted to be actuated byv said hygrometer whereby said valves will be automaticallyactuated.

15. An apparatus for treating rubber embodying therein a room or chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a heater, a conduit communicating with a source 'of gas supply and said heater, means injecting steam into the gas while it is passing to said heater, means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heater to said room or chamber, an off-take duct communicating with said room or chamber and said heater, a purge duct opening within and discharging Without said room or chamber, valves in said first named conduit,'said ofi-take duct and said purge duct, a valve mechanism whereby the volume of steam may be con trolled, an hygrometer within said room or chamber, means whereby the valve in said oiftake duct may be opened or closed and the valves in said conduit and saidpurge duct may be closed or opened, simultaneously with the opening or closing of said valve in said ofli-take duct whereby a closed circulation of gas may be maintained, and a fresh supply of gas may be delivered to said room or chamber and'a portion of the gas in said room may be simultaneously discharged through said purge conduit, and wntrolling means adapted to be actuated by said hygrometer whereby said valves and said valve mechanism will be automatirally actuated.

18. An apparatus for treating rubber ens,

bodying therein a room or chamber adapted to contain rubber to be treated, a heater, a conduit communicating with a source of gas supply and said heater, means injecting steam into the gas while it is passing to said heater, means delivering the gas and steam after leaving said heater to said room or chamber, an off-take duct communicating with said room or chamber and said heater, a purge duct opening within and discharging without said room or chamber, valves in said first named conduit, said oil-take duct and said purge duct, a valve mechanism whereby the volume of steam may be controlled, an hygrometer within said room or chamber, means whereby the valve in said oft-take duct may be opened or closed and the valves in said conduit and said purge duct may be closed or opened simultaneously with the opening or closing of said valve in said off-take duct whereby a closed circulation of gas may be maintained, and a fresh supply of gas may be delivered to said room or chamber and a portion of the gas in said room may be simultaneously discharged through said purge conduit, controlling means adapted to be actuated by said hygrometer whereby said valves and said valve mechanism will be automatically actuated, a thermostat within said room or chambe fand means adapted to be actuated by said thermostat, whereby thetemperature of said heater may be automatically controlled. '1

17. An apparatus for; drying materials including a chamber, means for intermittently circulating gas through the chamber until saturated to a predetermined extent,

ture of the atmosphere therewithin, means controlled by the first mentioned means for introducing a volumeot' fresh gas within the chamber at a substantially definite de- -gree of humidity and heat, means for exhausting overly moist gas from within the chamber, and means for intermittently circulating an introduced segregated volume of the gas until its humidity reaches a .predetermined limit.

19. An apparatus for heating rubber including a chamber, a supply cduct, areturn duct, an exhaust duct, communicating ventsv between the several ducts and the chamber, a heater, a humidifier, valves for governing the admission exhaust and c rculation of said gas to from and through said chamber,

a gas moving device, and means within the chamber for governing the operation of said valves to controlthe movement of the gas while maintaining it at a substantially uniform humidity and temperature.

Signed at Detroit, Michigan, this 29 day of September 1917.

ERNEST A. WULLENWEBER. 

